Memphis Wrestling

[spaldoni]

WrestleWar! 

Embry's fighting spirit is really getting over with the fans. 

If you're going to put Woman's wrestling on the map, Medusa is the perfect choice to build around. 

Kerin and Dutch continue to put everything they have into this throwback Memphis feud. 

I absolutely loved the pay off with the DWB storyline. The Armstrong "injury" angle was so well done. Brad gets some gold! 

I thought for sure Doom was going to take this one hahaha. Very creative ending. Jimmy is a lot smarter than we thought. The team of HTM and Valentine were a guilty pleasure of mine, so it's cool seeing them get a title run. 

Whoever that big blonde man was, he certainly is an ally and good friend of Slaughter. Big moment for Sarge. 

Nice touch having it all come down to Hayes and Roberts. Hayes is the last Freebird standing. 

Talk about sweet revenge. I liked that you had Hart really get his head shaved and didn't cheat the fans. 

This has been the week of epic 60 minute draws. All I can say is I can't wait for the rematch. 

Excellent show! 

 

[Control21]

WrestleWar was great! Lots of good stuff that makes Memphis wrestling what it is at its core. The Jerry Lawler vs Curt Hennig match went 60 minutes and I'm sure the fans got double their money's worth there. Jimmy Hart remains one of the scummiest men in the business, but you can't get rid of him either. I'm hoping Simmons and Reed get their revenge soon!

[Jimmy Jack Punk]

I agree with Spaldoni, great to see the hair stipulation get paid off in Memphis as they were infamous for not following through with stipulations in real life like the infamous Lawler "head shaving" that was essentially a trim. Good stuff all around.

[kevinmcfl]

 

 

Championship Wrestling Association:  

Episode #10
 December 7, 1989

 

The traditional CWA opening is played with some music being played as we see all the big stars of Memphis past hitting big moves.  

Before we get to Lance Russell and Dave Brown, we see a video with Jerry “The King” Lawler, Jerry Jarrett, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig and Bill Watts.  They seem to be in some hallway as Jerry Jarrett asks Mr. Perfect to call it.
Curt Hennig:  Tails…

Jerry Jarrett flips a coin in the air.  We see him catch it and slap it on his wrist.    

 

Lance Russell:  Yellow again everybody.  Lance Russell and Dave Brown here for Championship Wrestling.   By golly we’ve got a great week instore for everyone but before that, we’ve got to get to e some unfinished business from WrestlWar.      

Dave Brown: You said a mouth full there Lance.  As you just witnessed, there was an historic coin flip in the back of the Mid-South Coliseum and that coin flip was for the USWA World Heavyweight Championship.  Before we go any further, I want to bring out Jerry “The King” Lawler.

 

Jerry Lawler:  How are you Lance… Dave?

Lance Russell:  We’re okay King. Why don’t you tell us about Thanksgiving Night… and your match against Curt Hennig.

Jerry Lawler: Lance, it was one of the toughest matches of my life.  I will take nothing from Curt Hennig.  He is a tremendous wrestler… but so am I.  Unfortunately, neither one of us was able to get a win against each other.  Also, unfortunately, we both knew what was going to happen.  The last line of the contract stated that if the match was a 1 Hour Time Limit Draw, the USWA title would be decided by a coin flip.  A coin flip that I lost.  While I did not lose the match, I did lose the title.

Lance Russell:  Now King, that really stinks.

Jerry Lawler:  I agree.  I totally agree.  As I said before, Curt Hennig is a great wrestle but I truly believe that I would’ve  never lost to him.  I went to Jerry Jarrett when I Iooked over the contract and told him there must be a better way.  Jerry told me that both the CWA and the UWF hopes it won’t come down to a coin flip but if it did, it was in the best interest of all involved, to make sure we left Thanksgiving with a champion… this would allow the USWA to move forward and hopefully have larger crowds and make more money with the title being defended in the biggest cities in the alliance…. Yada yada yada… to me… this was about money and not what is right!

Lance Russell: I agree with you King.  Hopefully, you’ll get a chance to win the title you never lost real soon.

As Lawler walks off.

Lance Russell:  Man oh man, I just feel awful for Jerry.

Dave Brown:  I agree…. And that’s night the only unresolved business from Thanksgiving night and we’ll get to all that this hour.  First, we actually have two other title changes to tell you about.  Brad Armstrong defeated The Dirty White Boy to win the Tri-State Title and Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and the Honky Tonk Man are actually your new UWF Tag Team Champions.  It will be very interesting to see how that works as they’re under contract here in the CWA.  As for today, we have 5 great matches for you.  First it will be "The Fab One" Steve Keirn taking on The Assassin.  Our second bout will see a newcomer who goes by the name of The Undertaker and he will be taking on JT Southern.  Tojo Yamamato and his man Tarzan Goto will be in action against Mike Jackson.  The new Tri-State Champion, Brad Armstrong  will also be in action in a non-title match against against “Pretty Boy” Doug Somers and in the main event, it will be Eddie Gilbert, Greg Valentine and the Honky Tonk Man taking on the Freebirds and Jimmy Golden.  That and much, much more.  It looks like the timekeeper is all set so let’s get to the ring.  

Match #1
 

Steve Keirn defeats the Assassin with the Russian Legsweep in a good showcase for the fan favorite.  

After the bout, Brad Armstrong is with Lance Russell.

 

Lance Russell:  Congratulations are in order Brad on your win against the Dirty White Boy on Thanksgiving Night to become the Tri-State Champion.  I also must note you’re not wearing the cast that you had on that right hand of yours.

Brad Armstrong:  Thanks Lance and about my right hand… it was actually feeling a lot better yesterday and I went back in for another X-Ray and it seems like my hand was not broken at all but was just badly bruised.

Lance Russell:  Speaking of things that were not actually injured, it seems that you proved to everyone that the Dirty White Boy was faking his injury to the forearm as you were able to rip that brace of his off and show everyone that he had it loaded with metal rods.

Brad Armstrong:  Not a surprise Lance.  The DWB has been stealing victories for months now.  I’m just glad that’s over.  I am looking forward to defending this title against whoever Eddie Marlin puts in front of me.
On que, Eddie Marlin comes out…

Eddie Marlin:  Lance… Brad… I just want to make a few announcements.  First, for his use of a loaded forearm brace, the Dirty White Boy has been suspended for two weeks without pay and he won’t be getting a rematch for the Tri-State Title.  By CWA rules, all champions are given a guaranteed rematch when they lose their titles but because of the tactics of the DWB, this rule is being voided.  Next, we are pleased to announce that as a result of the great success of the first interpromtional event between the UWF and the CWF, Jerry Jarrett and Bill Watts have agreed to have a second such event…. on December 30, 1989.  This event, titled Last Stand 89, will also be the next big event at the Mid-South Coliseum.  

Suddenly, Dirty Dutch Mantel appears…

Dutch Mantel:  Brad… I guess … congratulations are in order… I mean somehow you got a title around your waist.  Now Eddie, I think you know what you need to do… and that is to give me a Tri-State Title shot at Last Stand.  I mean Brad and I have had our battles in recent months and I believe that I have come out on top of most of those matches.
Eddie Marlin:  To tell you the truth Dutch, we’ve not even began to think of who will get that big match for the Tri-State Title but …

Brad Armstrong:  With all due respect Eddie, I’m not sure you want to go from one cheating champ in the Dirty White Boy to rewarding another cheater with a title match so soon.  I mean, part of the reason you made the strict policy of not allowing weapons near the ring was Dirty Dutch and his Bullwhip….

Eddie Marlin:  Both of you have some excellent points.  Dutch, you do have some pretty good wins of late but as Brad said, many of these wins were um, tainted.  I will take both of what you said under advisement and you will have my decision next week.

Brad and Dutch stare each other down as we head into break.

COMMERCIAL BREAK & PROMOS FOR LAST STAND @ THE MID-SOUTH COLISEUM

As we come out of break, a bald Jimmy Hart and the First Family are with Lance Russell.  The fans are getting him all riled up with a “Baldy” chant which continues throughout the interview.  

Jimmy Hart:  Yeah, yeah yeah…. Baldy….you people just don’t get it.  Sacrifice Baby… Sacrifice.  The First Family is willing to do anything to control Wrestling.  First of all, I haven’t heard any congratulations on how my men, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and the Honky Ton Man are the new tag team champions of a company they don’t even work for. 

Lance Russell:  I don’t think congratulations are in order as I’ve never seen such a disgusting way to cheat another team out of their championship.  As far as I’m concerned, Reed and Simmons are the rightful owners of the UWF Tag Team Titles.

Jimmy Hart:   I mean, I thought all you people here in Memphis were the dumbest people I’ve ever seen but those morons down there in Louisiana make a Kindergarten look advanced.  I mean Butch Reed, Ron Simmons and Teddy Long would be better off getting eaten by an alligator then trying to come up with a plan.  Now, the only reason why Eddie Gilbert is not the Southern Heavyweight Champion is because Jeff Jarrett is a male chauvinist pig!  I mean he jumped right on Missy Hyatt and she fell onto the cement floor and he was the only person who didn’t check to see if she was ok.  I mean Missy could have broken her neck!  

Lance Russell:  Well I’ve heard about enough of this.  Let’s get to the ring

Match #2
The Undertaker with Paul Bearer vs JT Southern

This is just eerie.  From the ring announcer announcing the Undertaker being from Death Valley to his black hat, long black coat, black gloves and triple wide black tie… and that is not even mentioning his manager, Paul Bearer dressed as the perfect mortician.  While the attire of both was almost Halloweenish… it was their death like pale skin and eerie organ music that had everyone a bit frightened.

As for the match, this 6’10, 300-pound dead man was as agile as they come.  Fans were amazed as he walked the top rope and then came down hard with a chop to JT Southern’s head.  That was nothing compared to how hard he hit the ropes and flew through the air with the most powerful shoulder block in wrestling…. And then the finisher… a front-facing piledriver.  

Lance Russell:  Mr. Bearer, I must admit that I’ve never seen anything quite like you or your man, the Undertaker.  

Paul Bearer:  (in an eerie, high pitched, slow talking voice)  Ohhhh Lance Russell  …. I could not sleep last night so I decided to walk around the funeral home…. I soon ventured downstairs into the casket room … where I saw that our supplies might be just a little on the short side.  Knowing what the Undertaker can do to any mortal man, I need to buy many, many more caskets as their will be a lot of devastation coming to Memphis…

As these two walk off, Dave Brown asks Lance if it is just him whose hair is standing up on his arms.  Lance actually studders as he tries to speak, so he obviously feels the same way!
Suddenly, the studio lights go black and we get a strobe light flashing Welcome to the Madness ….
Neither Lance and Dave speak as we go to break… They both look very nervous.

COMMERCIAL BREAK & PROMOS FOR LAST STAND @ THE MID-SOUTH COLISEUM

 

When we come out of break, Lance introduces us to a new segment called “Spanning the USWA” where we’ll catch up on all the important news coming from the UWF.  This week, we see Jim Ross interviewing the new USWA World Champion, Curt Hennig

“Spanning the USWA”

Jim Ross: Well, I guess congratulations are in order as you, Mr. Hennig are the first ever USWA World Champion.

Curt Henning:  What do you mean you guess.  I told you and all the fans here in the land of the toothless that I was going to march up there to Memphis and beat the so-called King of Wrestling from pillar to post and come back down here as the first ever USWA World Champion.

Jim Ross:  I not sure you beat him from pillar to post.  In fact, I’m not even sure you beat him.

Curt Hennig:  Jim Ross… do you see this gold belt around my waist?  This means I’m the world champion.  This means I went to up to Memphis … beat Jerry Lawler… and I am the champion.  The Perfect Champion in fact…. And I’ll tell all you losers up in Memphis that if Jerry Lawler wants another shot at this title, he better come down here to the UWF as I’m sure not making that trip up there to see the cow folk any time soon!

As we come back to Memphis, Lance and Dave Brown are just shaking their head about how Hennig didn’t even bring up the coin flip that allowed him to be the champion.  Dave goes on to say that somebody better get that video we saw at the opening of the show to the folks down their un the UWF.  Suddenly, Tojo Yamamota and Tarzan Goto appear!

Tojo:  Sgt. Slaughter… you are just like every other American I have ever met.  You are a cheater.  You know that there was no way you were going to beat Tarzan on Thanksgiving night, so you put someone in the stands to attack us from behind.

Lance Russell: You mean just like you did to Sgt. Slaughter with the bamboo stick you had at ringside.

Tojo:  Lance Russell… you never learn.  You better have eyes in the back of your head if you don’t learn some respect.

Lance Russell:  I think its time for you to get your man to the ring for his match!

Match #3
Tarzan Goto with Tojo Yamamota vs Mike Jackson

Goto just beats Mike Jackson to a pulp.  The problem was that he had no interest in winning and just wanted to hurt Jackson.  We get multiple power slams and big splashes but no pin attempt.  Lance Russell is getting sick and what he is watching and demanding Tojo put an end to this.  

Instead, we get the save from the tall, lanky blonde wrestler that helped Sgt. Slaughter.  He’s wailing away on Goto until Tojo finally pulls his man to the outside of the ring and both heels high tail it to the locker room.  
While nobody in the crowd knows who this man is, Lance Russell knows exactly who he is.

Lance Russell:  Fans … I must let everyone know who this man is… he is the son of none other than “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes…. Welcome to the CWA…. Dustin Rhodes.

Dustin Rhodes:  Thank you Lance… and as you said, I’m the son of The American Dream and I just want you to know that my father taught me something real important… This is the greatest country on the face of the Earth and Tojo and Tarzan Goto … . every time you do anything to try and make it look bad or disrespect it, I will be there with something to say about it.  How about next week… you and me Tarzan and we’ll see what happens when you pick on someone your own size!

Lance Russell:  Boy oh boy… Dustin you sure have your Daddy’s fighting spirit.  It is going to be awesome to have you here in the CWA.

COMMERCIAL BREAK & PROMOS FOR LAST STAND @ THE MID-SOUTH COLISEUM

 

This segment starts with Brad Armstrong, the Tri-State Champion, with Lance Russell when  suddenly, Dirty Dutch Mantel comes out to the interview area.  He is in his complete attire including the bull rope!

Lance Russell:  Dutch, what are you doing here.

Dutch Mantel:  I’ll tell you Lance, I’m here for what I deserve and that’s a Tri-State Title Match.  This man here, Brad Armstrong has never actually beaten me in a match and there is no way he would ever beat me.

BA:  Now listen up Dutch… the only reason I’ve never beaten you is because you get disqualified ever time we wrestle before I can beat you.  You’re afraid to actually wrestle me.  

Dutch Mantel:  Afraid?  Are you kidding me?

BA:  I’m dead serious … oh and by the way, you will get a title shot when Eddie Marlin deems you worthy and right no brother… you’re not worthy!

Dutch Mantel:  Watch it punk… we all know Eddie Marlin is just a puppet for your daddy… and you know as well as I do … you’re daddy won’t put me in the ring with you because he knows I’d beat your sorry butt all over the place.

Lance Russell:  Ok, ok… that’ll be enough.  Jeff, you got a match in the ring.

Match # 4
Non-Title Match 
Brad Armstrong © vs “Pretty Boy” Doug Sommers

 

Before the bell rings, Dutch enters the ring and goes up to Doug and says something to him.  Dave Brown wonders what is going on and Lance just shakes his head as he wouldn’t put anything past him!

Dutch reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out some cash.  He counts off 5 or 6 bills and then hands it to Doug Somers who takes the cash, shakes Dutch’s hand and then heads off to the locker room.

Armstrong comes over from behind Dutch and wants to know what is going on….

WHAM …. A rolled up Shoo Baby across the head of Armstrong.  Brad goes down and Dutch is all over him.  We get about 2 or 3 good minutes of a beat down before Jerry Lawler and Dustin Rhodes rush out to make the save.
Lance Russell:  Nothing, I mean nothing Dutch Mantel does surprises me.  He is just not to  ever be trusted!  Let’s take a break.

COMMERCIAL BREAK & PROMOS FOR LAST STAND @ THE MID-SOUTH COLISEUM

Match #5
Main Event
The First Family (Eddie Gilbert, HTM & Greg “The Hammer” Valentine with Jimmy Hart
Vs The Freebirds & Jimmy Golden 

This match seems more like an impromptu lumberjack match as other wrestlers are out to watch and get closer and closer to the ring as the match begins to heat up.  We have the Studd Stable (Fuller, Eudy and Buddy Jack) eyeing the Freebirds.  Lawler, Jeff Jarrett, and Dustin Rhodes are now out to make sure no funny business happens.  This brought out Dutch Mantel, Tojo and Tarzan Goto to see if they can get to Jarrett and Rhodes.

The match was a good showcase for all six men in the ring but most of the eyes were on those around the ring.  At one point, Honky Tonk Man and Jimmy Golden were brawling in the ring and their action spilled out onto the floor.
This brought everyone together and one side began shoving the other and back and forth we went.

Just as it appeared that the roof was going to blow….

Lance Russell:  Sorry folks, we are out of time.  Until next week… So long from Memphis.

[Autistic Dragon]

Hennig winning the title on a coin flip may just be the most heel thing ever!

Keirn looks good in the opener.

Paul Bearer and the Undertaker make a chilling first impression.

Dustin properly introduces himself to Memphis and immediately takes the fight to the Japanese monster.

I think Lance & Dutch might have gotten Brad confused for someone else for a bit there. But what's important is Dutch surely got his Tri State title match with that trick with Somers.

Memphis TV is like Fight Club, if your there, you gotta fight.

[Scarlet-Left]

The Undertaker made such an impression here!

Really excited to see what Dustin Rhodes can do, going forward!

Dutch Mantel is such a menace, great heel angle!

[spaldoni]

Creative idea with the coin toss. Lawler remains strong and gets sympathy while Hennig gets to heel it up big time. 

My man Keirn racks up another fabulous win. 

Great job with giving Brad Armstrong a lot to do. He finishes a fun feud with DWB and now is involved with Dutch, which will get him even more over as the Tri State champ. BTW, loved Dutch paying off Sommers LOL. 

One thing about Jimmy Hart, he always knows how to get heat. 

The Undertaker has arrived!!!! This is a game changer. 

Dustin Rhodes is here and immediately is involved in something big with Tojo and Goto. Add Slaughter and this is going to sell a lot of tickets. 

AHHHHHH, the classic we got to go ending as all hell is about to break loose. 

So many exciting angles and storylines going on. I can tell this has really rejuvenated you.